Stuart Pearce feels Michael Olise can make the step up to a Premier League giant but is urging the Crystal Palace star to join Manchester City over Manchester United.
Even those of us with a devil on our chest would have to accept that, when it comes to helping talented young players realise their potential, Manchester United have left a lot to be desired in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
While Jadon Sancho must shoulder his share of the blame – if not most of it – his is a story which has been repeated endlessly throughout the last decade. A supremely-gifted, up-and-coming talent arriving at Old Trafford for big money and, for whatever reason, performing well below expectations.
Stuart Pearce, the former England, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest defender, understandably fears a repeat scenario with another dazzling homegrown talent with The Standard reporting that Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise is one of the leading targets of the new INEOS regime at Old Trafford.
Michael Olise sent Manchester United warning
“I’ve watched him a couple of times and he answer is yes (he can make the step up). (But) not United. City,” Pearce, tells talkSPORT (12 January, 10am).
“The way he played against Chelsea, especially (in Palace’s 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge in December). He was by far the best player on the pitch. The way he dealt with the ball, the understanding on the ball…
“I could see him in a City shirt.”
‘Better than Antony
Olise has scored five goals in just seven Premier League starts this season after injury, and one of those came against Chelsea. An athletic, hamstring-twinging volley only bettered by his sumptuous curling finish away to Luton Town a few weeks earlier.
Olise also netted one of the finest Premier League free-kicks in recent memory to claim a point against Erik ten Hag’s Man United when the Red Devils were in the midst of what was shaping up to look like a bonafide title charge 12 months ago.
“He’s better than Antony, isn’t he,” Danny Murphy, a former top-flight stalwart, told talkSPORT (3 January, 12pm).
“He’s better than what (Manchester United) have got.”
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